Excited for your wedding day?! I am sure you are but first, let’s talk about your wedding budget! Setting a budget is the first step in planning a wedding, and planning your spending can prevent you from wasting money unnecessarily or accruing excessive debt. 

The biggest reason why so many couples don’t know how to budget for their wedding or come to an ideal number that they want to spend is that they truly don’t even know how to budget out what an event will cost 100 people or more. Check out these four tips on how to help manage costs while planning your wedding, and as planners, this is also how we can help you!

Tip #1 Pick a Venue with Rentals Included

Set about 30% of your wedding budget aside for the site of the ceremony and reception venue, which is often the largest single wedding expense. Venues like 128 South, Bakery 105, and The Atrium, all located in downtown Wilmington have rentals included (tables, chairs, etc.). Picking a venue that doesn’t need a lot of decoration can also reduce costs. 

Look for places with great natural light and are neutral in design. If you are looking for an outdoor venue, look at the grounds to see how well-manicured the property is. If the gardens are well kept, this will indicate what it will look like on your wedding day. Airlie Gardens and Wrightsville Manor are great options in Wilmington for Outdoor Venues. If you’re having your wedding outdoors, keep in mind the cost of your alternative plan for bad weather

Tip #2 Understand the Cost Per Person

The size of your wedding has a massive impact on the amount of money you will spend. There’s a per-head cost for food and liquor, and these two are typically the biggest expenses of the whole wedding. As a result, changing the guest list size is the surest way to increase or decrease your costs. If you can keep your headcount in mind when setting a budget, you’ll have a greater chance of staying within limits.

Tip #3 Buy What You Can Afford and Don’t Overspend

Here is a budget hack you need to hear: If you account for budget overages, then you never actually blow your budget. In 2022 due to increases in goods and supply chains, couples will be spending more and should plan ahead on what they want/are willing to pay and the MAX they will spend on each vendor when talking with their planner.

Tip #4 Repurpose Floral Statements Pieces 

As we all know, wedding bouquets and other floral statements are expensive. The most effective way to cut down your expenses is to repurpose your flowers from ceremony to reception. You can turn your florals into aisle decor or centerpieces. There are so many ways to reuse your flowers. You just need to be creative and think outside the box!

As mentioned above, not being realistic makes it easy to oversimplify the financial aspects of a wedding. To stay on top of your wedding budget, you have to be realistic about what each element generally costs. Once you know this, it’s easier to allocate funds from your budget and see if you can afford them or not. There’s a lot to keep track of when it comes to wedding budget planning, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Follow our tips above, and you’ll be more equipped to stay within your means!